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‘It’s a very aggressive rule change,’ Kyle Larson says of NASCAR’s playoff waiver change

This was a response to the 2021 Cup champion missing Charlotte to race Indianapolis

NASCAR: NASCAR Cup Series Championship
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In some ways, you can call NASCAR’s new playoff waiver regulations ‘The Kyle Larson Rule.’

When Larson missed the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend to remain in Indianapolis to make his debut in the rain-delayed Indianapolis 500, it put NASCAR in the position of having to deliberate over a decision to grant the 2021 champion a playoff eligibility waiver.

Officials in Daytona and Charlotte spent over a week letting his playoff status hang over the sport before ultimately granting the waiver. The only real loss for Larson, and it was tangible, is that he likely lost the regular season championship due to the missed championship points.

Now NASCAR has hardened the penalty associated with missing a race or even missing a race due to suspension or behavioral issues. With the exception of medical or family exceptions, NASCAR will strip a playoff eligible driver of all playoff points earned during the regular season for a driver that misses a race starting this season.

In the past, when a driver has been suspended for a right rear hook on an intermediate track for example, they miss a race and the chance to score points and playoff points but that is the end of the penalty.

Not now.

Larson is racing at Chili Bowl this week where he was asked about it as a reaction to his experience in Indianapolis last year.

“It is what it is,” Larson told Sportsnaut. “It’s probably going to come into play more for people getting suspended for doing stupid stuff on the track rather than a weather delay at Indianapolis. Hopefully the weather is better in Indy this year and it’s other people getting in trouble and I won’t have to worry about the waiver. Really, hopefully no one has to worry about that.

“It’s a very aggressive rule change. Yeah. Abide by the rules. Be a clean racer. Calm racer. Make NASCAR your priority and you’ll be fine.”

Matt Weaver is a Motorsports Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.

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